This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. P2002-75017 filed on Nov. 28, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a tub protection bolt of a washing machine for fixing a tub to a cabinet on carrying the washing machine.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a washing machine is an apparatus for eliminating dirt or filth attached to a laundry using reaction between water and detergent.
Such a washing machine is classified as a pulsator type, an agitator type, or a drum type. The agitator type washing machine rotates an agitator protruding from a bottom center of a tub in forward and reverse directions to perform washing. The pulsator type washing machine rotates a disc-type pulsator on a bottom of a tub in forward and reverse directions to perform washing using a frictional force between a generated current and a laundry. The drum type washing machine rotates a drum holding water, detergent, and laundry at low speed to perform washing. In this case, a plurality of tumbling ribs protrude from an inside of the tub.
In the various kinds of the washing machines, numerous vibrations are applied to a tub holding water on operating the washing machine. A spring and a damper are provided between the tub and cabinet to prevent the tub from being broken by the vibrations.
A washing machine that is being carried receives numerous vibrations as well. Hence, the tub severely vibrates on passage so that the tub, damper, a motor connected to the tub, and various other parts are occasionally broken.
Recently, in order to prevent the tub from shaking, a protection screw is coupled with an outside of the cabinet to fix the tub.
Yet, the protection screw should be separated to use the washing machine after the washing machine has been installed. If the washing machine is driven without unscrewing the protection screw, the tub fixed by the protection screw may be broken by the vibrations generated from driving the washing machine.
However, a user may forget to unscrew the protection screw and then uses the washing machine, whereby the tub is occasionally broken. Hence, a structural improvement for preventing the washing machine from operating while the tub is fixed by the protection screw is needed.